


The sign that I love you

by wertdifferenz



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: ASL, Fluff, M/M, Tumblr Prompt, and the L-word
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-08 00:09:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18884110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wertdifferenz/pseuds/wertdifferenz
Summary: Lance has prepared Keith thoroughly to make sure he's ready to meet Lance's family.He just forgot to tell Keith that his niece is deaf.





	The sign that I love you

**Author's Note:**

> A prompt from and written for [a-stitch-in-timey-wimey](https://a-stitch-in-timey-wimey.tumblr.com/post/184097443046/i-posted-this-to-twitter-but-i-thought-i-should) on tumblr!

The problem with big family is that the teasing never stops. It doesn‘t matter if it‘s about embarrassing things that happened decades ago or about the name of your crush you accidentally dropped at the dinner table when you were thirteen. With four older siblings and a mountain of cousins his age, Lance has never been spared from the ever-growing annoyance called his family. 

That‘s why he‘s been very careful with introducing his previous boyfriends and girlfriends to them. And with that he means that he‘s never brought someone home before. Most of his relationships ended before it got too serious, and with the few that lasted longer, Lance made extra sure to avoid that topic as long as possible. 

See, he loves his family, even if they annoy him and tease him and would definitely tell all his secrets to his partner if they had the chance to. Lance loves his family more than anything else, so he really doesn‘t want to disappoint them with someone who just didn‘t fit in. 

He saw how the relationship of his siblings and cousins broke off quickly after introducing a spouse that just didn‘t fit with them. Saw the heartbreak and the sadness and the overuse of ice cream and tequila first hand, and decided for himself that he really didn‘t want that. 

Of course most of his relationship did end in ice cream and tequila and a lot of crying, but every time Lance was kind of glad that at least his family didn‘t meet the person that broke his heart. He didn‘t want to hear their anger about them, or the sadness of them gone, since they might have fit into the family after all. 

Long story short, Lance never brought someone home. 

Short story short, he‘s bringing Keith over the holidays. 

Which did not only surprise his family, but him as well. 

Lance hasn‘t met Keith‘s mom either, only his somewhat-brother, but Lance knew Shiro even before he knew Keith, so that doesn‘t really count. And even though they‘ve been together for almost a year now, and everything is perfectly fine between them, Lance hasn‘t even though about bringing Keith home to meet his family. 

The reason for that: Keith is pretty damn important to him. 

That‘s also the reason why Keith‘s coming in the first place. With their summer break starting, Lance was already preparing himself to spend three months away from his boyfriend, since Keith‘s mom lives in Texas and Lance‘s family in Florida, which is a four hour drive from their college. 

Only that Keith‘s mom suddenly got a job halfway across the world, and offer she couldn‘t refuse, even if it meant that she‘s not able to spend time with Keith over the holidays. Which isn‘t great, but Keith has spend half of his childhood alone or with Shiro‘s family, so usually he‘d manage. 

_Only_ that Shiro‘s family doesn‘t live in Texas anymore, but in Japan, since they moved after Shiro went off to college. With neither his mom or Shiro at home, Keith would practically be alone, which is a big no-no to Lance. He doesn‘t want his boyfriend to spend his whole break alone in the city he doesn‘t really share the best childhood memories with, since his broodiness and later on his sexuality lead to a lot of bullying when he was younger. 

So, with nowhere else to go, Lance invited Keith over. 

And with nowhere else to go, Keith accepted. 

The following week, Lance tried to give Keith a crash course in Cuban families, especially Lance‘s Cuban family. That included the names of the most important people, the amount of food Lance‘s mamá will cook for Keith, the amount of dessert Lance‘s papá will make for Keith, and that he can try to refuse it, but will most certainly not succeed. 

Other topics were a few important words in Spanish, mostly cussing, to keep up with his brothers, and the translation for every nickname he could think of, so Keith knows when Lance‘s sisters talk about him. 

Also, something Keith didn‘t have any knowledge of before, the general do‘s and don‘ts while playing and socializing with kids. Which is probably the most important part, since his niece and nephew are on summer break as well, and Lance has to look after them more often than not with everyone else working. 

So, with Keith prepared and the rest of his family reminded to keep it low in the beginning, Lance is pretty confident when they arrive in their Uber at the front of Lance‘s childhood home. And with confident he means scared shitless. 

He is sweating like crazy, which is not only pretty uncomfortable, but also quite embarrassing, since Keith‘s dry hand is getting squished by his wet one. Thankfully Keith doesn‘t seem to mind, even goes as far as squeezing his fingers reassuringly and giving him a small smile. 

Gosh, Lance doesn‘t know how he deserves this perfect man. 

„Okay,“ he breathes out while taking the first step towards the front door before his nerves get the best of him and he can drag Keith back into the Uber. With the iron grip Keith has on him though, he‘s pretty sure that he wouldn‘t let him go. 

„Come on, it‘ll be fine,“ Keith tries to encourage him, even though his voice sounds pretty unsure as well. „You taught me everything you could, remember? And you said they won‘t hate me.“ 

„I‘m pretty sure they won‘t,“ Lance answers honestly. He is pretty sure, since, you know, he lo- likes Keith a lot, and he knows that his family will have mercy on them since it‘s the first boyfriend Lance brings home, but he‘s still scared. „I‘m not sure you will like them though.“ 

„They are your family.“ 

„They can be too much sometimes,“ Lance murmurs, and because he can‘t stop himself he adds, „just like me.“ 

Keith squeezes his hand again and pulls Lance around. He steps close to Lance and places a hand on his cheek to make him face him when Lance won‘t take his eyes off the pavement. „Lance, you‘re never too much.“ 

Lance smiles wrily, not really convinced but not trying to discuss that either. He knows Keith‘s opinion on that topic, knows that Keith hates it when he talks himself down like this, but it‘s hard to believe it when every person dated before thought differently. 

A quick peck on his lips makes Lance forget his troubles. Keith has the ability to make Lance‘s mind look like a wasteland with the smallest touches. „If they are like you,“ he whispers against his lips, „I will like them.“ 

„Thank you, babe.“ Lance leans into the hand on his cheek and enjoys the warmth of it for a second before he intertwines their fingers and lets their hands dangle between them. A shaky breath leaves his lips, and takes a moment to close his eyes and take in the familiarity of the neighborhood they are standing in before bracing himself for the inevitable. „Okay, I‘m ready.“ 

With a huff Keith picks up their bags and guides Lance through the wicket gate and the little front yard. It‘s full of his mother‘s favorite flowers and an apple tree they planted as a sapling when Rachel was born. Now it‘s big and healthy, and full of half ripe fruit and charms made of sparkling stones to keep the birds away. 

The front door is just like Lance remembers it, wooden with chipped yellow paint in the corners and a big sign saying „McClain“ that Lance and his siblings made for Christmas years ago. A flood of calmness rushes through Lance, and giddy happiness for being back home again. He really missed this place. 

Keith places the bags on the porch the same moment the door flies open to reveal Lance‘s jumping nephew holding onto the knob. 

„Tío Lance!“ he shouts, leaving the door to rush into Lance‘s outspread arms. 

„Hey Sylvio!“ Lance laughs, squeezing the boy in his arms tightly. He briefly notices that his nephew is bigger than last time he visited, the growth spurt Lisa told him about in spring putting the few inches on him that make him the tallest boy in his class now. 

Lance‘s mother comes out next, a big smile on her face as she embraces her son. Lance quickly gets up to hug her as well, since he missed her even more than the rest of her family. Her hugs are just the best thing, even better than Hunk‘s, and she smells like the food she has prepared for their arrival and the coconut oil she likes to put in her hair. 

Lance takes a deep breath in her arms, relishing the familiar scents. It‘s almost like he‘s never left for college, and he‘s glad that he never feels like a stranger coming home to his family. 

When they part his mamá‘s eyes move over to Keith. If possible, her smile gets even bigger, and she leaves Lance behind to engulf Keith into a hug as well. 

„It‘s so good to finally meet you, Keith,“ she laughs into his shoulder. She‘s quite a bit smaller than Keith, barely reaching his chin with the top of her head, but even with the size difference Keith looks totally lost in her arms. His hands are outstretched, only reaching around to pat her back after a few seconds of steeling himself. 

Lance gives him a proud nod when Keith‘s looks at him for confirmation, signaling him that he‘s doing a good job. Keith visibly relaxes in his mamá‘s arms, even going as far as gently squeezing back with a little smile he rarely shows to anyone but Lance. 

Gosh, how that smile makes his heart melt every single time he sees it. 

After his mamá releases Keith, she ushers both of them and Sylvio inside, straight into the big kitchen where the rest of the family is already waiting. Lance‘s siblings wrap him into a big group hug while Lance‘s father welcomes Keith. His mamá is already at the stove, heating up some leftovers from lunch. 

His papá pats Lance on the shoulder before getting some dishes for the two of them, placing them right next to the stove and staying with his wife for now, watching Luis and Marco come forward to greet Keith, shaking his hand with probably way too much force. 

Lance‘s sisters join them quickly, each introducing themselves with the same hug as their mamá, something Keith is already used to by now. He‘s a quick learner after all. 

Next is Lisa, who has Sylvio in one hand, and Nadia hiding behind her leg. She introduces herself and Sylvio, as well as Nadia who refuses to come out from behind her, even when Lisa touches her shoulder and start signing for Nadia that everything is okay. 

Keith watches the interaction, the confusion on his face visible as he looks between Lisa and Lance, silently asking for an explanation. The rest of the family is watching him, the whole room suddenly getting way too quiet, as the realization dawns on them. 

„Lance hasn‘t told you?“ Lisa asks nervously. Her eyes move to Lance, linger while she takes in the change in his face, the sudden panic and clear shock, before she looks back at Keith. She sighs quietly, trying to hold an apologetic smile towards Lance before dropping the bomb. 

„Nadia is deaf,“ she explains carefully. „She only knows sign language.“ 

Oh, shit! 

No no no! 

With all the preparing and stressing and freaking out Lance had done the past few week, he forgot the most important thing. 

Nadia is deaf. 

And shy around strangers. And doesn‘t really like anyone who doesn‘t at least try to talk to her. Hence why many relationships in Lance‘s family broke, with the boyfriend or girlfriend not even trying to communicate with her, and making the little girl feel even more uncomfortable and like an outsider than she already does at her nursery or every other place they take her. 

Shit shit shit! 

How could Lance have forgotten this? It‘s, like, the most important thing about his family. Forget food and names and teasing and speaking Spanish; if Keith doesn‘t like Nadia and Nadia doesn‘t like Keith, their relationship is as good as over. Done for. Pasado! 

Lance doesn‘t dare to look at his boyfriend, already dreading the helpless look he will surely find on his face. There is no doubt in his mind that Keith will feel like a deer staring straight into the headlights of an approaching car, just milliseconds before getting hit. 

When Lance actually musters up the courage to look at Keith, he‘s surprised to find nothing like that on his face. Actually, it‘s the complete opposite instead. 

Keith gives Lisa a charming smile, the one he uses whenever he‘s about to say something really meaningful. He crouches down to eye-level with Nadia, something Lance had taught him to do just the night before, and raises his hands. Pressing his thumps and index fingers together while the rest of his fingers stay outstretched, he waves his hand in front of his chest a few times and stuns the whole family with his words. 

_No problem._

Nadia‘s smile is blinding. While Lance can do nothing but stare in shock at his boyfriend, Nadia is already leaving her cover behind Lisa‘s legs and takes a few steps towards Keith, shyness forgotten as she starts up a proper chat. 

A hand on his shoulder jerks him out of his rigor, and Lance looks up to see his big brother smiling at him proudly. Veronica and Rachel look at him the same. The whole room breaths a sigh of relief, and the atmosphere visibly relaxes. 

Sylvio joins Nadia‘s little chat with Keith, both of them already making Keith promise to play with them after him and their tío Lance finish lunch. Keith looks up, a silent question in his eyes which disappears as soon as Lance gives him a quick nod. 

_Sure, let‘s play later,_ Keith agrees with ease, knowing that Lance won‘t leave him all alone with the kids so soon. 

Lisa touches the shoulders of the kids to get their attention and signs them to go and play in the backyard until their tíos are ready. Lance doesn‘t miss the sign she uses for Keith, a fist next to her forehead with two fingers outstretched, moving in to small circles, followed by a piece sign with her thumbs between middle and index finger. 

Uncle K. 

At the same time, Lance‘s mamá comes up behind him with two plates full of ropa vieja and a smirk on her lips. „No lo dejes ir!“ she whispers right next to Lance, quiet enough so Keith won‘t hear it. 

And boy, she doesn‘t need to say it for Lance to know how perfect his boyfriend is. And that he well never, ever will let him go again.

* * *

It‘s later that day, after lunch and dessert, the usual interview from his siblings and a good few hours playing with the kids in the garden that Lance finds some time alone with his boyfriend. 

The are sitting in the canopy swing right under the weeping willow tree at the far end of the backyard, a glass of homemade lemonade in their hands and Lance‘s head resting on Keith‘s shoulder. The birds sing around them, unbothered by their presence, and in the far distance Lance can hear the barking of a dog, but nothing else. His neighborhood is quite peaceful after all, his family probably one of the loudest in the whole area. 

„Hey Keith,“ Lance starts, eyes still closed but hand reaching out to intertwine his fingers with his boyfriends. 

Keith answers him with a low hum, taking his hand and squeezing tight while sipping from his lemonade. 

„You‘re perfect,“ Lance murmurs, turning his head slightly to kiss Keith‘s cheeks before letting his head fall back on his shoulder. 

Keith chuckles, turns a bit to peck Lance‘s temple and rests his own head against Lance‘s. „How come?“ he asks, the curiosity hearable in his voice. 

„My family loves you,“ Lance starts, tipping his index finger on the back of Keith‘s hand as to count each point, „especially Nadia. You really tried your best to keep up with everything I tried to teach you about them, and didn‘t even falter when I forgot to tell you the most important thing.“ 

„That Nadia is deaf?“ 

Lance sighs. „Yeah. Sorry about that.“ 

„Hey.“ Keith nudges Lance‘s hair with his nose, making Lance look at him. „Like I said, it‘s no problem.“ 

„How do you know ASL in the first place?“ Lance wonders out loud. 

„There was a deaf girl in my High School. No one ever bothered to talk to her,“ Keith says, not needing to explain any further since Lance already knows almost all about his past. And he knows about Keith‘s golden heart, hidden behind layers of grumpiness and fear of rejection. 

It‘s that heart that Lance fell for in the first place, and Keith‘s actions that speak louder than a thousand words. It‘s the same heart that made Keith learn ASL for a child that was probably in the same shitty situation as him, all alone in school with no friends to protect them from the stupid bullies and even more stupid teacher who never tried to help them. 

„You really are perfect, aren‘t you?“ Lance smiles, leaning in and waiting for Keith too meet him in the middle. Lance tries to convey all his feelings in this kiss, his gratefulness, his happiness, his… 

When they part, Lance can‘t stop himself from spilling the words. „Gosh, I really love you.“ 

Keith stiffens under him, his eyes widening and his breath halting for a second. When he releases it, it comes out as a sigh, a small smile playing on his lips while his cheeks start to turn a pretty cherry-blossom pink. „Do you now?“ he asks tentative, teasingly as if Lance didn‘t just say the L-word for the first time. 

Lance takes a second to mull over the question, but his smile is probably giving him away already. From Keith‘s reaction he knows that he doesn‘t have to fear any rejection, so he leans a bit closer with a playful grin. „I really do.“ 

„Well, good then…“ Keith starts, and holds his hand up to sign Lance his answer. His hand raised, thumb, index finger and pinky outstretched. When Lance copies the sign, Keith takes his hand and kisses his knuckles with a smile. 

_I love you._

And that‘s all there is to sign.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Comments mean the world to me, so please tell me what you think about this fic.
> 
> Get more info about me and my writing on [ my tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/wertdifferenz).


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